A cassette station, a processing station having a coating unit and a developing unit, and an inspecting station having a film thickness inspecting apparatus and a defect inspecting apparatus are disposed in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of the disposition of cassettes of the cassette station in such a manner that the inspecting station is disposed midway between the cassette station and the processing station. In the structure, the inspecting station and the processing station are connected and wafers are automatically transferred among the stations, operations from the substrate process to the inspection can be simplified and the time period necessary therefore can be shortened.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a cassette station having: a holding portion for holding a substrate cassette that contains a plurality of substrates, and a transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the substrate cassette placed on the holding portion; a processing station having a substrate processing portion for coating a process solution on the substrate transferred from the cassette station; an inspecting station connected to the processing station, the inspecting station having an inspecting portion for inspecting a processed state of the substrate processing portion for the substrate; and a main transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate between the processing station and the inspecting station.
2. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the inspecting station and the processing station are adjacently disposed, and wherein the width in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of the disposition of the inspecting station is equal to or smaller than the width in the direction approximately perpendicular to the disposition of the processing station.
3. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the inspecting station is connected to the processing station in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of the disposition of the substrate cassette on the cassette station.
4. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the inspecting station is disposed in such a manner that the inspecting station is connectable to and disconnectable from at least one of said cassette station and said processing station.
5. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the inspecting station has a plurality of types of inspecting portions.
6. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the inspecting station has a storing portion for a material used in the substrate processing portion.
7. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the substrate processing portion supplies predetermined solution on the substrate, and wherein the material stored in the storing portion is the predetermined solution.
8. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the inspecting station has a main transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate to and from the processing station.
9. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the inspecting station has a substrate transferring portion.
10. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the inspecting station has a substrate transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the transferring portion of the cassette station.
11. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein in the inspecting station, a plurality of inspecting portions are disposed symmetrically with respect to a line that divides the direction of the disposition of the inspecting station into two.
12. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the inspecting station has an adjusting portion for adjusting at least one of the temperature and humidity of the interior of the inspecting station.
13. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the cassette station, the processing station, and the inspecting station are disposed in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of the disposition of the substrate cassette on the cassette station, and wherein the inspecting station is disposed midway between the cassette station and the processing station.
14. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the cassette station, the processing station, and the inspecting station are disposed in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of the disposition of the substrate cassette on the cassette station, and wherein the processing station is disposed midway between the cassette station and the inspecting station.
15. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the processing station has a plurality of substrate processing portions, wherein at least one of said substrate processing portions coats a developing solution on the substrate that has been coated with a resist solution and exposed so as to perform a developing process, wherein the inspecting station has a plurality of inspecting apparatuses, wherein at least one of said inspecting apparatuses inspects the processed state of the developing process for the substrate, wherein the cassette station, the processing station, and the inspecting station are disposed in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of the disposition of the substrate cassette on the cassette station, and wherein the inspecting station is disposed midway between the cassette station and the processing station.
16. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the processing station has a plurality of substrate processing portions, wherein at least one of said substrate processing portions coats a resist solution on the substrate, wherein the inspecting station has a plurality of inspecting apparatuses, wherein at least one of said inspecting apparatuses inspects the coated state of a resist solution on the substrate, wherein the cassette station, the processing station, and the inspecting station are disposed in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of the disposition of the substrate cassette on the cassette station, and wherein the processing station is disposed midway between the cassette station and the inspecting station.
17. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the inspecting portion measures the film thickness of a coated film formed on the substrate.
18. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the inspecting portion inspects the surface state of a coated film formed on the substrate.
19. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the substrate processing apparatus is disposed in a clean room, and wherein the following relation is satisfied: first pressure>second pressure>third pressure>fourth pressure where the first pressure is the inner pressure of the processing station, the second pressure is the inner pressure of the cassette station, the third pressure is the inner pressure of the inspecting station, and the fourth pressure is the inner pressure of the clean room.
20. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a cassette station having: a holding portion for holding a substrate cassette that contains a plurality of substrates, and a transferring portion for transferring a substrate to and from the substrate cassette placed on the holding portion; a first processing station having a first substrate processing portion for coating a first process solution on the substrate transferred from the cassette station; a second processing station having a second substrate processing portion for coating a second process solution on the substrate transferred from the cassette station; a first inspecting station disposed midway between the first processing station and the second processing station, the first inspecting station having a first inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate; and a main transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate among the first processing station, the second processing station, and the first inspecting station, wherein the cassette station, the first processing station, the second processing station, and the first inspecting station are disposed in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of the disposition of the substrate cassette on the cassette station.
21. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 20 , further comprising: a second inspecting station disposed midway between the cassette station and the first processing station, the second inspecting station having a second inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate.
22. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 20 , further comprising: an interface station for transferring the substrate to and from an aligner; and a third inspecting station disposed midway between the second processing station and the interface station, the third inspecting station having a third inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate.
23. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a cassette station having: a holding portion for holding a substrate cassette that contains a plurality of substrates, and a transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the substrate cassette placed on the holding portion; a processing station having a substrate processing portion for coating a process solution on the substrate transferred from the cassette station; an interface station for transferring the substrate to and from an aligner; a first inspecting station disposed midway between the cassette station and the processing station, the first inspecting station having a first inspecting portion for inspecting a substrate; and a second inspecting station disposed midway between the processing station and the interface station, the second inspecting station having a second inspecting portion for inspecting a substrate.
24. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a carrier station having: a carrier loading/unloading portion for loading and unloading a carrier that contains a plurality of substrates, and a transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the carrier on the carrier loading/unloading portion; a processing station disposed adjacent to the carrier station, the processing station having: a coating portion for coating a resist on the substrate, a developing portion for developing the substrate that has been exposed, and a main transferring portion for transferring the substrate to the coating portion and the developing portion and transferring the substrate to and from the transferring portion; and an inspecting station disposed adjacent to the carrier station, the inspecting station having an inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate.
25. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 24 , further comprising: an external carrier holding portion for holding the carrier that contains the substrate that has been processed outside the substrate processing apparatus; and a mode selecting portion for selecting a regular operation mode in which the inspecting portion inspects the substrate processed in the processing station or an inspecting portion dedicated operation mode in which the inspecting portion inspects the substrate processed outside the substrate processing apparatus.
26. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 25 , wherein the external carrier holding portion is disposed in the carrier station.
27. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 25 , wherein the external carrier holding portion is a part of the carrier loading/unloading portion of the carrier station.
28. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 25 , wherein the inspecting station has an auxiliary transferring portion for transferring a substrate to and from the inspecting portion, wherein an intermediate holding portion is disposed in the carrier station, in the inspecting station, or midway between the carrier station and the inspecting station, the intermediate holding station temporarily holding the substrate, and wherein the transferring portion of the carrier station transfers the substrate developed in the processing station and the substrate contained in a carrier on the external carrier holding portion to and from the auxiliary transferring portion through the intermediate holding portion.
29. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 25 , further comprising: a multi-staged holding portion for temporarily holding at least one substrate that has been developed in the processing station before the substrate is transferred to the inspecting portion of the inspecting station.
30. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 25 , wherein the multi-staged holding portion also functions as an intermediate holding portion for transferring the substrate between the transferring portion and the auxiliary transferring portion.
31. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 25 , wherein a plurality of inspecting portions are disposed in the vertical direction.
32. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a carrier station having: a carrier loading/unloading portion for loading and unloading a carrier that contains a plurality of substrates, and a first transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the carrier on the carrier loading/unloading portion; a processing station disposed adjacent to the carrier station, the processing station having: a coating portion for coating a resist on a substrate, a developing portion for developing a substrate that has been exposed, and a main transferring portion for transferring the substrate to the coating portion and the developing portion and transferring the substrate to and from the transferring portion; and an inspecting station disposed adjacent to the carrier station, the inspecting station having an inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate that has been processed; an external carrier holding portion for holding the carrier that contains the substrate that has been processed outside the substrate processing apparatus; a second transferring portion for transferring the substrate between the carrier on the external carrier holding portion and the inspecting station; and a mode selecting portion for selecting a regular operation mode in which the inspecting portion inspects the substrate processed in the processing station or an inspecting portion dedicated operation mode in which the inspecting portion inspects the substrate processed outside the substrate processing apparatus.
33. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 32 , wherein the inspecting station has an auxiliary transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the inspecting portion.
34. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 32 , wherein the external carrier holding portion and the second transferring portion are disposed midway between the carrier station and the inspecting station, and wherein in the regular operation mode, the second transferring portion transfers the substrate between the first transferring portion and the auxiliary transferring portion of the inspecting station.
35. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 32 , further comprising: a multi-staged holding portion for temporarily holding at least one substrate that has been developed in the processing station before the substrate is transferred to the inspecting portion of the inspecting station.
36. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a carrier station having: a carrier loading/unloading portion for loading and unloading a carrier that contains a plurality of substrates, and a first transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the carrier on the carrier loading/unloading portion; a processing station disposed adjacent to the carrier station, the processing station having: a coating portion for coating a resist on a substrate, a developing portion for developing the substrate that has been exposed, and a main transferring portion for transferring the substrate to the coating portion and the developing portion and transferring the substrate to and from the transferring portion; an inspecting station disposed adjacent to the carrier station, the inspecting station having: an inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate that has been processed, an external carrier holding portion for holding the carrier that contains the substrate that has been processed outside the substrate processing apparatus, and an auxiliary transferring portion for transferring the substrate among the transferring portion, the inspecting portion, and the external carrier holding portion; and a mode selecting portion for selecting a regular operation mode in which the inspecting portion inspects the substrate processed in the processing station or an inspecting portion dedicated operation mode in which the inspecting portion inspects the substrate processed outside the substrate processing apparatus.
37. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a carrier station having: a carrier loading/unloading portion for loading and unloading a carrier that contains a plurality of substrates, and a transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the carrier placed on the carrier loading/unloading portion; a processing station disposed adjacent to the carrier station, the processing station having: a coating portion for coating a resist on the substrate, a developing portion for developing the substrate that has been exposed, and a main transferring portion for transferring the substrate to the coating portion and the developing portion and transferring the substrate to and from the transferring portion; and an inspecting station disposed adjacent to the processing station, the inspecting station having an inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate.
38. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a carrier station having: a carrier loading/unloading portion for loading and unloading a carrier that contains a plurality of substrates, and a transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the carrier placed on the carrier loading/unloading portion; a processing station disposed adjacent to the carrier station, the processing station having: a coating portion for coating a resist on the substrate, a developing portion for developing the substrate that has been exposed, and a main transferring portion for transferring the substrate to the coating portion and the developing portion and transferring the substrate to and from the transferring portion; an interface station, disposed midway between an aligner and the processing station, for transferring the substrate to and from the aligner; and an inspecting station disposed adjacent to the interface station, the inspecting station having an inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate.
39. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a cassette station having: a holding portion for holding a substrate cassette that contains a plurality of substrates, and a transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the substrate cassette on the holding portion; a processing station having a substrate processing portion for coating a process solution on the substrate transferred from the cassette station; an interface station, disposed adjacent to an aligner, for transferring the substrate to and from the aligner; a first inspecting station disposed midway between the processing station and the interface station, the first inspecting station having a first inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate; and a second inspecting station disposed adjacent to the cassette station, the second inspecting station having a second inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate.
40. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a cassette station having: a holding portion for holding a substrate cassette that contains a plurality of substrates, and a transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the substrate cassette on the holding portion; a processing station having a substrate processing portion for coating a process solution on the substrate transferred from the cassette station; an interface station, disposed midway between an aligner and the processing station, for transferring the substrate to and from the aligner; a first inspecting station disposed midway between the cassette station and the processing station, the first inspecting station having a first inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate; and a second inspecting station disposed adjacent to the interface station, the second inspecting station having a second inspecting portion for inspecting the substrate.
41. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a cassette station having: a holding portion for holding a substrate cassette that contains a plurality of substrates, and a transferring portion for transferring the substrate to and from the substrate cassette on the holding portion; a processing station disposed adjacent to the cassette station, the processing station having: a substrate processing portion for coating a process solution on the substrate, and a main transfer mechanism for transferring substrates to the substrate processing portion in the order of those contained in the substrate cassette and transferring the substrates to and from the transferring portion in the order of those contained in the substrate cassette; an inspecting portion for inspecting the processed state of the substrate processing portion for the substrate; an inspecting substrate holding portion for holding an inspecting substrate that has been processed outside the substrate processing apparatus and that is inspected in the inspecting portion; a substrate holding portion for holding substrates that have been processed in the substrate processing portion and that are later than the inspecting substrate in the substrate cassette in the order of those contained therein; and a main transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate that has been processed in the substrate processing portion to the inspecting substrate holding portion and the substrate holding portion.
42. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 41 , further comprising: an auxiliary transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate between the inspecting portion and the inspecting substrate holding portion.
43. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 41 , wherein the inspecting portion, the inspecting substrate holding portion, and the substrate holding portion are disposed in the processing station, wherein the main transfer mechanism is composed of the main transfer mechanism, and wherein the main transfer mechanism transfers the inspecting substrate processed in the substrate holding portion to and from the inspecting substrate holding portion.
44. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 41 , wherein the inspecting portion, the inspecting substrate holding portion, and the substrate holding portion are disposed adjacent to the cassette station, wherein the main transfer mechanism is composed of the transferring portion, and wherein the transferring portion transfers the inspecting substrate processed in the substrate holding portion to and from the inspecting substrate holding portion.
45. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 41 , wherein a plurality of inspecting portions for inspecting a plurality of inspections for the substrate are disposed in the vertical direction.
46. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 41 , wherein at least one of the substrate processing portions of the processing stations coats a developing solution on the substrate that has been coated with a resist solution and exposed so as to perform a developing process, and wherein at least one of the inspecting portions inspects the processed state of the developing process for the substrate.
47. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 41 , wherein at least one of the substrate processing portions of the processing station coats a resist solution on the substrate, and wherein one of the inspecting portions inspects the coated state of the resist solution for the substrate.
48. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 41 , wherein the inspecting portion measures the line widths of a resist pattern formed on the substrate.
49. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 41 , wherein the inspecting portion inspects the matching of the resist pattern and the base pattern formed on the substrate.
50. The substrate processing apparatus as set forth in claim 46 , wherein the inspecting portion inspects the surface state of the coated film formed on the substrate.
51. A substrate processing method, comprising the steps of: transferring a plurality of substrates contained in a substrate cassette to a substrate processing portion in the order of the substrates contained in the substrate cassette and coating a process solution on the substrates; unloading a substrate processed in the substrate processing portion from the substrate processing portion; transferring an inspecting substrate selected from a predetermined number of substrates unloaded from the substrate processing portion to an inspecting portion and causing the inspecting portion to inspect the processed state of the substrate processing portion; transferring substrates later than an inspecting substrate to a substrate holding portion and causing the substrate holding portion to hold the substrates in the order of the substrates contained in the substrate cassette until the inspecting portion completes the inspection of the inspecting substrate when the process time period of the inspecting portion is longer than the transferring intervals of substrates transferred from the substrate processing portion; unloading the inspecting substrate that has been inspected in the inspecting portion from the inspecting portion; and unloading the inspecting substrate from the inspecting portion and then unloading the substrates held in the substrate holding portion therefrom in the order of the substrates contained in the substrate cassette.
52. The substrate processing method as set forth in claim 51 , wherein the substrate processing portion coats a developing solution on the substrate that has been coated with a resist solution and exposed so as to perform a developing process, and wherein the inspecting portion inspects the processed state of the developing process for the substrate.
53. The substrate processing method as set forth in claim 51 , wherein the substrate processing portion coats a resist solution on a substrate, and wherein the inspecting portion inspects the coated state of the resist solution for the substrate.
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July 11, 2001
July 15, 2003
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